


Dead End

by EllaMariexoxo



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Post-Promised Day, Survival, Zombie, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-06-24 11:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15629565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllaMariexoxo/pseuds/EllaMariexoxo
Summary: Nothing could explain the reanimation of a corpse or their need for human flesh. The Elric brothers return after the promised day to find their world has changed. Inspired by The Walking Dead, contains spoilers from end of Brotherhood.





	1. Truth

The promised day had come and gone, but Edward was still dwelling on a promise he had broken. They had been chasing their bodies for so long he didn’t really think about what would come after. The idea of succeeding in such an insurmountable task hadn’t really dawned on him until the day came.

"Shit." He muttered under his breathe as the sound of shuffling drew closer.

He really thought he would be walking up to that yellow house. That Alphonse, human Alphonse would be by his side and that the smell of apple pie would bring him to Winry. All of this revolved around the idea of bringing him to her, bringing him home. But they weren’t home and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

_This wasn’t equivalent exchange._

He wasn't the fullmetal alchemist anymore, he was just Edward. He had returned his left arm, only to find it weak and infected. A gun now sat at his hip like a poor excuse for the armor he once hid behind. Now he was left with a fading notion of what was good and right in this dying world. It wasn't like they just gave up, both he and his brother had put their heads together to try and find something scientific to explain or remedy what had happened to Amestris, but nothing in modern science could explain the reanimation of a corpse or its need for human flesh.

Not only was this new world dangerous but it was also older. They must have stared truth in the eye for too long because by the time they returned, the world had traveled around the sun not once, but twice. The old papers they had stumbled across called it a plague while others turned to religion and the damning of civilization. Edward knew better, he knew this was something entirely different.

His breath came quick and rushed, each step echoing through the long alley. This wasn't the first time he had gone on a gathering mission, but somehow the odds seemed to tip in the others favor every time he chanced it. He had chanced it quite a few times to be honest.

The ground was slick with rainwater and residue from the previous night's storm making it harder to pick up speed. Edward was careful to keep his eyes on the road ahead of him and not the others. The young man didn't need to look at what was trailing behind him; the smell of decay and sound of distinct shuffling was enough to tame his curiosity. Edward believed in science, he believed in reason, but it was failing them and even alchemy couldn't give them a reprieve from the madness.

Scrambling through debris he came up to a dead end, a fence running up to a height of about ten feet.

_Aw hell._

Ed knew he must have taken a wrong turn. Clapping his hands together out of habit the disappointing sound just sank in, a subtle reminder of how much things had changed. The others drew closer as he exhaled a string of curse words and reached for the gun holstered at his side. Alchemy had always given him a second option, one without a resounding finality that couldn’t be undone. The gun burned at his side, but he didn’t grab it, instead he chose to run. 

Without missing a beat, Ed maintained speed and ran full force ahead. At the last second he jumped, propelling him as far up the fence as he could manage. The metal grid rattled dangerously at the impact, his hands fumbling as he started to climb. Favoring his right arm, Ed pulled himself up as the corpses continued to gain on him. He was barely to the top when the fence began to shake, his foot slipping. Looking down Ed watched as walkers ran into the barrier, their hands clawing and reaching up in blind greed.

It didn't make sense for this to be the end. Not after saving the world from the Promised Day, not after his brother was restored to his body, and especially not before he returned home. His chest hurt, he didn't like to think about that last part, he didn't like to imagine her face gone from this world. Of the walkers that roamed Amestris he knew sooner or later he would find a face he recognized.

Grunting from effort he heaved his body up and managed to throw a leg over the top. It took the last of his strength to heave his body over to safety, nearly avoiding a collision by tucking his body into a roll. The hit stung, his beaten body protesting as he struggled to his feet. It was survival of the fittest and some part of his animalistic ancestry kicked in. The sound of his automail gears grinding against one another made him quick with nervousness, no doubt his automail leg was about to give up the fight.

Rounding another corner Edward skidded to a halt, almost losing his balance as he came upon a small group feeding on two bodies. It wasn't easy watching their hands claw and tear the life right out of them, piece by piece. Those were humans; two people who had made it through the promised day and the initial purge only to find their end in some back alley.

She came to him then, a whisper of a promise and a pair of blue eyes. Winry wouldn’t be in some back alley, she would be safe in the country, _she would fight_ he decided and brushed any other thought away. He had paused for too long. One by one the former humans began to catch his scent, the fresh blood from his fall a siren in the wind. "You've got to be kidding me." He panted under his breath.

Taking the safety off his gun he began to run, his aim on the closest walker. He shot a few times with only the third and fourth shots hitting their mark. It was hard to get a good aim with their heads lolling to the side and flesh gaping from their bones.

Edward knew he was getting close to their hideout but it didn't give him any comfort. Zigzagging through parked cars in the street he began to limp as the automail nerve connections flared and engulfed him in pain. Gripping his pant leg he forced himself to keep moving, his lip caught between rows of clenched teeth. Then he was out of the city, running through wider spaces and taller grasses. The road gave way to a few houses here and there and then he was at a gate, its rusted exterior thrown together out of haste. He watched with growing exhaustion as the unrelenting migrating group started to catch up to him. Edward hissed impatiently as the gate jammed, the poor excuse of a barrier finally doing its job.

When at last the gate was opened and relocked he allowed himself to collapse as he tried to process the close shave he had just escaped from. Then the moment was gone and he was hauling the bag of supplies over his shoulder and heading back inside the compound of which he had days earlier craved to leave.

The small country home just outside the city was abandoned but it was well garrisoned, no doubt the people who lived here had tried to put up a fight. He found Alphonse with a pad of paper and whittled pieces of colored pencil resting on his lap. His younger brother was fast asleep but that didn't surprise Edward. The boy barely had enough fat on his body to live yet alone make it through the entire day without exhausting himself. Removing the pad and pencils Ed covered his brother with the blanket at the end of the bed and sank into the worn arm chair nearby.

Blinking back any attempt at sleep he stared at the drawing his brother had started but had not completed. His heart thumped numbly in his chest at the flowing grasses and the familiar house off in the distance. He traced the lines drawn in yellow, trying to feed the hunger inside him.

Edward had stopped counting the days since they had come back from the other side. How could time have robbed them of so much, how could they have come back to a world he had fought to save only to find it filled with death?

Edward flipped the page and began to draw circles, each one more desperate than the last. As if he could still transmute, as if he could still undo what time had taken.

_As if he could._

 


	2. Connections

Edward slumped down next to his brother's bed, fishing out the bottle of antibiotics he had managed to obtain on his latest run. It had been a wild run and if he believed in a god, which he didn't, he might have thought someone was looking out for him.

Alphonse was staring, his eyes narrowed at the piece of cloth he had wrapped around his bicep. Minor scrape from a tin roof ledge in his fall from a second story. He would have laughed about the whole thing if his brother didn't look so worried.

Alphonse didn't say anything, but Ed almost wished he would. Instead the boy sunk back against the pillow, his own weakness too much to start a fight.

"Take it." Edward offered again.

Alphonse grimaced, "Brother, we should save-"

"Save it for what?" He scoffed, the pain in his arm a dull reminder that he wasn't invincible. "We need you back on your feet, so we can leave this place."

For a moment he let the guilt lace his words and fill the air before he sighed, rubbing his palms against his face. "You know what I mean."

His brother nodded but kept his gaze distinctively away from Edward.

Scratching at the beginnings of facial hair on his chin Edward frowned. Heading back downstairs he turned the radio transmitter on and waited for the familiar signal to carry through. It was the same code, day in and day out. He knew the Morse code but until Alphonse healed he couldn't risk answering the call. With no way to respond they just listened and allowed the beeping to give them false hope. There were people out there and he had a feeling he knew exactly who they were.

Tonight, he took extra care in removing dirt and grime from the gears in his mechanical leg. Sitting on the rim of the bathtub he squinted in the candlelight. Alphonse had already tried to transmute a few worn parts but he had neither the energy nor the knowledge to do anything more than a temporary fix. Pulling his shirt over his head, the oldest Elric boy stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. His former automail shoulder was now an blotchy red, metal fragments still hidden under flesh. The antibiotics might help, but his brother needed them more. Rolling his head to crack his neck Edward ground his teeth together and let the strangled cry die in the back of his throat. They had risked everything to save this world and now it was slowly consuming them like quicksand. The more he tried to fight it off the closer it all seemed to come in on them. The farmer who had rescued them from the middle of his field was dead. The traveling couple who had stopped in for a night were dead and from the looks of the city Edward thought it might be better to pretend they were all dead. Maybe this was purgatory, or some type of dimension truth had concocted to make them pay for their sins.

He could hear Alphonse talking in his sleep and that only led to feelings of guilt and pity. Leaning against the sink he counted backwards to slow down his train of thoughts before heading outside. Edward sat on the front steps in the cold night air. His eyes eventually adjusted to the moonlight as he held the barrel of a shotgun across his thighs as a bit of company for the moment.

The sound of voices in the distance nearly set him sprawling from his position. Shouldering the weapon, Edward scanned the night for signs of life but there was nothing. Feeling jittery he went back inside and laid down in the bed across from his brother. Maybe if he got some shut eye he could stop the voices in his head from tricking him.

_There was a woman standing at the bottom of the hill, her blonde hair and white dress dancing playfully in the wind. He grinned at the sight of her, it had been such a long time since he had laid eyes on her. He heard her laugh sail through the wind, that beautiful smile catching the sun as she turned her head over her shoulder to gaze in his direction. "Winry!" He called at her. When his childhood friend began to turn around he noticed the slight droop to her smile and the way her flesh began to peel away from bone. The sunshine yellow of her hair began to fade to brown and putrid green. The muscles in her jaw began to unwind as her mouth dripped blood. Edward stopped in his tracks. "No." He breathed out at the sight of her._

_She reached in his direction, her smile still half raised, half wilted by the decay. "Edward." She mouthed, but no sound came out. "Where are you?"_

Edward woke in a sweat; the bedsheets still tangled around his body. Looking down he realized he was shaking, his hands balled into fists. Releasing the sheets from his grasp Edward tried to piece Winry back into her normal form in his mind. Repair the damage and restore the innocence.

Once he had his breathing under control he looked around the room surprised to find it empty. Where had Al gone? His brothers leg muscles weren't strong enough to support him for long. That was when he noticed the quiet but distinctly human voices outside. His brother could make friends with a wolf if needed, but that wasn't what Ed was worried about.

He pulled the shotgun from the side table and began to creep through the hallway, down the stairs and towards the front door. The voices led the way as he barged through the front door; his aim at the head of the stranger. "Hands up." He barked loudly.

Alphonse turned, one hand extended in peace as he leaned heavily on his cane with the other. The man he was talking to pulled a gun of his own.

"Wait!" His younger brother managed to choke out. "Brother!" He pleaded. "Put your gun down!"

Edward wasn't about to let his guard down, but there was something oddly familiar about this guy. Reddish brown hair and keen, all knowing eyes. "Breda?"

The formerly rotund man now looked half the size and by the glint in his eyes he had probably seen twice as much. Reluctantly Edward lowered the gun but not his defenses. Breda was looking at them as if they were ghosts.

"I knew it." The colleague of Mustang smirked as if he had confirmed his own theory.

"How did you find us?" Ed cut to the chase, his eyes already on the horizon.

"Think we'd miss a kid like you're running the streets? Though, I gotta say, we had our suspicions. You disappeared on the Promised Day and that was two years ago, no ones heard a word since, not even your girl in Resembol. This is a game changer Fullmetal, with two more alchemist we could actually stand a chance."

Edward didn't feel the need to correct him. He wasn't about to explain why there was only one alchemist and the mention of Winry had him fixated. Edward walked down the steps to get a better look at the former soldier. "We?"

Breda sighed, running a hand through his short hair, "Why don't we go inside? Better to not raise voices in the wide open."

Ed saw his brother really smile as he looked at their old friend. "So everyone made it through?"

Breda grimaced, "Not everyone, but we've made it. Once you crossed over to get your brother all hell broke loose again. Those things started to crawl out of every hole in the city. They came on fast, everyone was just waking up, they weren't prepared. We didn't…" He shook his head. "When the first people started to turn we didn't understand what those things had done, what they had triggered." He took a deep breath looking shaken by the memory. "But it was too late, only those of us who were a part of the promised day were armed and coherent enough to seek shelter."

Edward frowned, "They're not homunculi, they're different aren't they?"

Alphonse perked up and Edward knew it was time for the truth. He had refused to tell his brother what he had found in the city.

"We've been trying to clear the city for months." Breda stared at them, "The original beings have been wiped out but this viral strand they've infected people with just keeps spreading."

"Original beings?" Alphonse asked.

"The Ice Queen called 'em mannequin soldiers. Mustang said you fought a herd of them before fighting Father." 

Edward frowned, he had just assumed they had all been wiped out. The thought of those poor citizens waking up only to be assaulted by those artificial monsters felt twisted and sick. Or maybe the thought really was going to make him sick, he tried to put those innocent faces out of his mind. Those faces would be the ones walking the streets, the ones that truth wouldn't even let die. 

"So why are you alone? What if it wasn't me you were following?" Edward countered, still not ready to believe his eyes.

Breda frowned, "You think I came alone? Must not be as observant as you used to be."

Edward sat up straighter, again the idea of _others_ seemed intangible. "They're here?"

Breda whistled loudly and like magic there were footsteps followed by the appearance of the white haired Falman and the imposing presence of Buccaneer from the north. The tall, former Xingese man had to stoop to keep from hitting his head.

"Looks like the rumors are true." Buccaneer laughed gruffly, "The Fullmetal Alchemist."

Falman gave his head a nod in greeting. "We thought you two were dead but from the looks of it." He patted Al gently on the shoulder, "You're alive and well."

Falmans seemed to be generous in his description of Alphonse as _looking well_ , but no one countered it. Then again being human at all was better than a suit of armor.

"We can't stay here much longer." Breda commented looking sorry he had to say it. "We've spotted a herd of em' circling around this way."

Edward didn't need more detail, the way the three men exchanged glances was proof enough.

"He's not ready for travel." Edward deadpanned.

"I'm as ready as I'm going to be brother." Alphonse protested.

Buccaneer cleared his throat, "You're running out of resources; surprised you haven't already." He leaned in closer, his ponytail falling over his shoulder. "These are dark days, we stick together or we stand alone and die."

They had been alone for months so the news that there were others out there should be uplifting but for some reason Edward was stuck on what Breda had said. Not everyone. Again his mind flickered to the yellow house on the hill and the nightmare came back clear as day. Buccaneer was right, any shot they had of getting his brother back on his feet and making sure their friends were safe wouldn't be here. "We leave tomorrow at dawn, we get a fresh start."

Buccaneer grumbled about their tight quarters, but Breda agreed and the brothers enjoyed the first restful sleep they'd had in a long time. Edward acknowledged that having others to rely on was a huge relief.

There wasn't much in the way of belongings to pack. The two had managed to scrounge a backpack, scraps of food, the former farmer's weapons and a set of paper and pencils that Alphonse had clung to. They set off at a quick pace and while Edward knew it was wearing his brother down he didn't falter, and he didn't stop. It wasn't until he lost his footing that Edward stopped the march forward and yelled at his brother. "That's it, I'm carrying you."

Alphonse wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, the cane creaking under his weight. "You can't brother, I'll only slow you down."

They were getting close to the city limits, but it was still far enough that he knew his brother was right. "No, you won't." He protested instead.

Buccaneer huffed loudly, annoyed at the halt in their pace. "You are not going to slow us down." He offered his back instead.

Edward had to stop himself from looking over at his brother. Buccaneer didn't seem to mind the small boy on his back but Edward knew his brother was seeing this world for the first time and it must be terrifying. So they continued on like that for hours, five men wading their way through a city in ruin.

Their first encounter with walkers was nothing like Edward had ever experienced. The three men didn't flinch, didn't run, they stood their ground as if their presence didn't faze them in the least.

Falman cut off his line of sight as he fell into step beside him. "Its best we keep moving forward. We're just far enough away they don't know we're here just yet."

Sure enough the walkers ambled around aimlessly, their drooping faces staring off into nothingness.

The promised day had left the city in shambles, the roads cracked open and buildings in piles of rubble. They were venturing further into the city than Edward had gone, and it was only then that he realized just what he had overlooked. There were eyes on the rooftops, a sniper's rifle followed them, and he wondered if it just might be a hawk's eye.

"Almost there." Breda pointed towards what used to be the Fuhrer's palace gates.

Alphonse asked to be set down and when he walked forward on his own Edward realized this was the first time his human body had stepped foot in the city. They should be celebrating, they should have won that day. The thought sat like a dirty sin, the greed of what might have been leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

Two soldiers wearing worn but distinguishably northern gear came out of nowhere and let them enter. Buccaneer stayed with them while the rest of their group kept moving forward. "So, who is charge of this whole operation?" Edward kept his eyes peeled, still unsure who they would find left standing.

Breda cleared his throat, "You saw who let us in, who do you think it is?"


	3. Remains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All that remains in this new world are those pieces that managed to cling to life no matter the cost.

Save the world from the homonculous, save the souls of the Amestrian people, defeat father and bring your brother back. With a to-do list that bordered on near impossible Edward just assumed that if completed the list would cease to exist. He could focus on little problems; problems that could be solved nonetheless. Now as he returned to the scene of the crime so to speak he was beginning to understand that that list was nothing close to the one that lay before them. This reunion should have been a relief but the hardened faces and wearied eyes brought the doubt brimming to the surface. If this was real, he could hardly believe there was still a yellow house and people waiting for him.

He originally expected to see an army of soldiers still standing from the promised day, but found only a few stranded in the hallways. The building itself smelled rank with body odor and stagnant breath. More than once Edward swallowed back the bile that rose up his throat. These men were worn, their formally white uniforms stained with dirt, sweat and blood. They looked exhausted and defeated in ways that plucked at his curiosity. _Just what the hell happened when he crossed over?_  

Breda led them through a maze of broken parts until finally they reached what used to be a large meeting room. Edward thought he remembered sitting across from Fuhrer Bradley in this room, it was the first time he realized he had put Winry in danger. Standing outside was a familiar man, a man they had originally met at Briggs. The older Ishvalan's red eyes searched them, his usual pair of shades no longer on his person. It seemed the whole world had been stripped away and this new world, with all its destruction, was at least truthful.

"Edward." He looked a bit uncertain as his gaze turned towards the younger Elric. "Alphonse?"

"A lots changed, hasn't it?" Edward offered, knowing full well their story would take longer than Miles would care to listen for.

"Nothing that can't be saved." He didn't smile, but it seemed his thoughts were elsewhere, "We've come back from worse."

The room began to fill up and they eyed one another with similar questions. Each wondering what is was they were really seeing. Miles was joined by Olivier Armstrong and a battered looking Buccaneer. Maybe it shouldn't have been a shock that the rumors of the man's death had proved false. Personally, Edward liked to believe automail users were a much tougher breed. They began to see familiar faces, but it wasn't lost on either of them how many faces they hadn't seen. A part of Edward knew he wouldn't like the answer to some of his questions.

As if on cue his former boss began to approach them, bursting through the doorway. Roy looked a bit wild with his hair now down past his chin and a black patch over his left eye. The patch jolted something in him, you don't forget a grown man's screams and the memory of the promised day came hauntingly back. The gate had taken his eyesight much as it had Edward's arm and leg, along with Al's body. Edward didn't think it would be appropriate to remark that the last man in this building with an eye patch had been filled with wrath. Riza didn't seem all that different except when he finally caught her eye he couldn't help but to stare at the large scar that now streaked from the corner of her mouth almost to her ear. There had been a gap in time in all of their stories, but he had a feeling no one here wanted to relieve those moments.

"So, you're not completely blind anymore." Edward offered because for the first time he wanted to hug them just to know if they were real, but the idea never stuck.

Roy looked between the two of them. "And I see you're not full metal anymore." He looked down at the metal exposed from the holes in his pant leg. "I bet your mechanic will be disappointed."

Edward exhaled, the lump in his throat beginning to ebb. "She's here?"

Roy's lips thinned as if the thought itself was not lost on him. "It's been two years since you disappeared Edward."

"Is she here?" Edward repeated, this time unable to hide the growl in his voice as he stared his former superior down.

"No." Riza answered.

"Then she must still be in Resembool." Al pipped up, his hopes obviously not dashed by the looks that were being exchanged.

At last Roy seemed to take one for the team. "We haven't received outside communications since the initial purge."

Initial purge, two years was an awfully long time. "So you're just holed up in this dump while people are being slaughtered out there?" Edward thought about how much this group had risked to save the country, to save those people around them. "Sounds like a lot has changed."

Roy laughed a short, humorless sound. "This is ground zero, this is the quarantine zone. You want to fight; you're in no man's land now."

"Clearly you've done a great job." Edward could feel his fingers grip his hands into fists. How could they have let this happen? How could they have let everything they sacrificed be for nothing?

Roy narrowed his eyes, his voice suddenly filled with uncharacteristic malice. "You didn't come back, you don't get to pass judgement on those of us who did. If you don't want to face reality, then I suggest you go back to whatever hole Breda found you cowering in."

Riza gave them both a hard look. "I think we've all had a lot to process today." Her expression must have sent a silent warning because Roy shut his mouth and walked away. The fact that Riza still inspired obedience felt surprisingly normal and comforting.

"I hope you'll stay with us. Doing something rash and foolish won't help her. Staying together means staying alive." She set her gaze on Alphonse before she smiled halfheartedly. "He cried when word came that they found you two alive."

He stared at the scar again and wondered how she had gotten it. "The bastard can cry?"

Riza looked between them her jaw tightening, "He thought, we all thought we'd lost you. It all happened so quickly. We were processing soldiers, allegiances, damage reports and even Grumman was already setting the government back up when they came." She touched her hand subconsciously to her face, "It doesn't matter how we got here. Just look around Edward; you're the first good news we've gotten in a long time."

That night when they laid out on a set of cots in what used to be someone's office, Edward stared at the ceiling in a daze. Knowing his brother wasn't asleep he finally voiced the thought that had been on his mind the moment they found out she wasn't there. "We can't stay here, we have a promise to keep."

"I bet she even hits you with her wrench for not calling." Alphonse interjecting optimistically.

Edward felt dryness in his throat; if they were too late he would never forgive himself.

* * *

Winry reached over and took a long drag of Havocs cigarette, her eyes closing as the smell of tobacco engulfed her. The older man had a amused grin on his face when she started to cough and Winry wondered if he still thought of her as a little girl. Then again it might have to do with the time they shared a pint of Granny's special hard cider and she had thrown up all over him.

"What now?" She asked him instead, the question lingering between them.

Jean rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I think we keep moving forward, isn't that what you told me?"

Winry looked back at the flames now rising from the yellow house on the hill. If they didn't keep moving she was going to keep waiting on those who were never coming home. There was nothing left in Resembool, no one left in Resembool in fact. It was time to move on. "Probably."

Havoc got to his feet, a shotgun strapped to his back and two hunting knives at hands reach. "Well I'm thinking we need to at least move Bell because those flames are gonna get us some company."

Winry handed the cigarette back to him, looking at the walker that was headed their way. Pulling out her largest wrench she took her aim and smashed it through its skull. The walker dropped to the ground, its parts frozen for good. Winry didn't flinch at the squelching noise it made as she pulled the tool back from the corpse, like coming up for air. Flicking parts of flesh from the metal tool she threw it back over her shoulder. "Fair enough."

Maybe it was for the best they didn't keep their promises. Winry wasn't sure they would recognize her anymore.


	4. Encounters

"Dammit." Havoc fumbled with his rolling papers, the tobacco spilling out on the ground. Hands shaking he rushed to pick up the particles before they scattered. Giving up he let out a sigh of impatience, his body itching for the taste of tobacco and its buzz of calmness. Sometimes he could almost feel the need like a voice whispering inside his head. Instead he was left agitated, twitchy and for the moment unstable.

"Hell." Jean rubbed his eyes as a memory tried to paint itself in his mind. This walker had been a child, no more than six years of age if he had to guess. It had caught them both off guard. It wasn't until it lunged at them that he finally delivered the lethal hit. Winry had insisted on burying her before they moved on.

Jean thought about their journey, but more importantly his own. The one that started with an attack that had damaged his spine and left him back home in a wheelchair. Funny how different his homecoming had played out. The restlessness of being tied down and far from his friends had been short lived while his role in the promised day had kept him occupied.

"Jean?" Came a worried voice beside him.

He looked up at his blonde-haired companion who was too young to be bait. With a cocky grin he dispelled her concern and led the way forward. Rebecca had kept him company and had startled him when she didn't laugh at his attempts to be intimate.  _She also didn't stay_  he reminded himself.

The Promised day came but instead of vanquishing the shadows they had unintentionally unleased a new one; one that didn't die and one that spread fast. Edward Elric disappeared trying to return his brother and without a clear leader their world was left in a post-apocalyptic chaos. What was he doing with Winry Rockbell? Well that was another story entirely. Jean knew by the way Roy asked that he must have promised Edward that if something should happen they would keep the Rockbells safe. As the closest of Mustang's friends to Resembool he had been asked to stand guard.

_Stand_  guard. Jean had laughed over the notion of standing until he arrived at that yellow house and found himself being put through the ringer. Those Elric boys had always kept that part of their life quiet and Jean was floored by the secrets within that house.

There was no pity there. Jean paused to extend the canteen of water he had strung over his shoulder. She took it with slow hands but gulped it down with urgency. He wasn't a guard, he had been expected to help out and it didn't dawn on him until a few weeks in that he was being treated like a patient. When the news reports started to come in of mindless creatures he had pleaded with them to help him walk again. They had obliged and neither the old lady nor Winry had scoffed at the notion. Maybe he had always felt at ease in the company of women but these two were different than most, more along the lines of Hawkeye.

Then the news reports stopped, and the first wave hit them with the fury of a raging storm. Winry had cried when he put a bullet between her childhood friend's eyes. The local boy, Pitt, was long gone before they found his corpse of a body walking the earth. Mustang could always see five steps ahead and Jean had to admit it had kept not only him, but the Rockbell girl alive.

"Jean." He jerked his head up as Winry's voice raised an octave. "Jean!" she exclaimed again, her steps now turning into a fluid gallop forward.

Still leery of letting her run ahead Jean cringed at the numbness sinking into his left leg and ambled after her. Feeling protective he almost grabbed her arm but stopped once he saw what the excitement was all about. There, like a prized pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, was a car.

Winry buzzed around him, her eyes dancing with excitement as she forced her way into the car and began to explore. Jean almost mentioned that the last time he had seen her that excited was when she was talking about Edward's automail but Edward was still a taboo topic. Winry was soon messing around in the belly of the beast, the sleeves of her black coat pushed up. Havoc decided it was best to keep a lookout and proceeded to walk the perimeter, his eyes on the horizon.

It took a few hours but when the roar of a car engine sliced through the air Jean felt the load lighten.  _Well I'll be._

Winry pulled her hand from the ignition switch walking around the front of the old car to pull the panels of the hood down. The beautiful Packard had seen better days but the flying lady on its hood seemed like a sign of hope. "It'll do." She admitted with a shrug.

That was the strange thing about smart women, they often liked to pretend that their brilliance was nothing but a happenstance. Jean liked to think his own brilliance was in picking out who to align his loyalties to.

Havoc marched over to get behind the wheel but was stopped by his blonde companion; her hands defiantly resting on her hips.

"You really think I'd let you drive?" Winry said.

Havoc laughed because that's exactly what he thought. "I have combat driving experience so unless you've lived a double life, I think I'll be taking it from here Bell."

She glared, and Havoc wondered as he took his place in the passenger seat, whether Winry always got her way. Then again maybe he was just used to letting pretty girls have their way.

They drove in silence each taking turns watching as the fuel light dropped lower. Even when the sun began to disappear over the horizon they kept the metal beast going; it was best to keep the momentum. Jean was beginning to think it was awfully quiet when Winry shrieked, jerking the wheel to the side. Their headlights roamed over the hunched, meandering figure. One walker turned into two, three and in the tunnel of light Havoc watched as a herd stumbled their way towards them.

"Kill the lights." Jean roared as he gripped for the door frame. "Hit the gas."

He could hear the sound of the petal leveling with the floor. Even in the darkness he could almost hear the painful terror radiating from Winry as she changed gears. This was not the time for her to lose her resolve. Bodies began to collide with the metal body of the car and he could sense her fading as the vehicle slowed. "Winry drive dammit!"

The engine whirled once before Winry snapped to and put it into the right gear. Without lights the car maneuvered into the unknown, the bodies of walkers feeling as if they were dropping from the sky. Were they still on the road to Central or had they careened off in another direction altogether? They didn't have to hypothesize for long as the car began to stall out and while neither could see the dashboard in the darkness they both knew what that meant. Soon the car was crawling to a halt and only the sound of their heavy breathing filled the cabin.

"Are they gone?" Winry whispered.

Jean rolled down his window and listened closely. It sounded like the rushing song a stream or maybe the dragging of feet. Havoc couldn't be sure what was out there. "Maybe."

Cranking the window to its original spot he leaned back in the seat; so much for catching a break. "Guess we bunker down here for the night."

Winry didn't answer but he could tell when she began to tap her wrench restlessly against her palm that she was gearing up for a fight. Best not to argue' he'd let her have first watch.

Havoc wasn't sure how long she had taken watch when he was awakened by the sound of a door shutting. The shotgun he had propped between his legs clattered to the floor as he sat up in a flurry. Wiping a hand across his sweaty brow he frowned at his companion; the sun was out which meant she had never woken him for a shift. It was hard to feel chivalrous when there was no damsel in distress. Winry still had her wrench in her hands and that resolved him of the desire to yell some choice words at her decision. Instead Jean got out of the car and listened to the sound of his neck cracking as he stretched. Looking around he wondered how far they were from Rush Valley. From the size of the herd he figured they must be close to some kind of civilization.

"I'm going in." Winry announced pointing to the stream and when she glared he realized she meant she was taking a dip. Which also meant he needed to be a gentleman. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned around and started to follow their tire tracks. Maybe they could backtrack to the road… _and potentially run right into that heard_.

The sound of someone approaching meant he could finally turn around but he kept watch anyways. Winry poked his shoulder with her wrench, droplets of water hitting his shirt from her damp hair.

"You can look now." Sometimes she phrased things that made him realize how young she was and just how old he was.

"Don't mind ya' lookin." Jean grinned watching as her face flushed. She really was still so young.

She bristled like she wasn't used to being called out. "Don't flatter yourself."

Jean just shrugged his shoulders making sure she saw him take off his shirt before heading down to the river. "I bet I have more to offer than Fullmetal."

Silence made Jean look back over his shoulder. She really wasn't looking, and he could tell by the rigidness to her spine he had touched a nerve. Yeah, Edward still an open wound for that girl.

The cool water felt glorious even without any soap he still felt infinitely lighter. Once he was properly dressed again he put a hand on Winry's head. "Hey Rockbell, I meant no harm. Just fooling, its depressing enough out here."

Winry kept her eyes on the horizon. "Let's just keep moving."

They left the car and decided to follow the river upstream. As they marched along Havoc used the quiet to process things in his mind. There were a few things they had figured out from the very start. First, Central had earned the name dead zone and whatever had infected its citizens had already reached the countryside. Second, his comrades were still fighting within the city limits, of that he was positive. And Third, no matter the remedy or procedure those bodies infected were too far gone to be treated.

The temperatures were steadily rising as they crossed into southern territory and forked their way north. Dublith, Rush Valley and then Central. Winry had managed to convince him this was a safest passage as she rambled about all her friends in Rush Valley. Jean didn't remind her that these friends might not be just how she remembered them.

When the stream began to dry up they knew they were close. As they began to enter what looked like a ghost town Havoc heard a familiar click and knew immediately what would follow.

"Get down!" he pulled Winry to the ground as a bullet whizzed by their heads. "Fuck." He breathed out trying to figure out where the shot had come from. Another bullet flew by and soon they were bombarded. He could feel Winry's breath intake sharply, but the shots stopped as quickly as they had started.

A group of four men, approached them guns in only two of their hands. "Still alive huh?"

Winry must have gotten nicked by a bullet because a small trail of blood was running down her calf as Jean helped her to her feet. She didn't cry and as they stood off against the four men he was grateful. Ever since her grandmother had been infected she had yet to really mourn anything. That was fine, made him feel as if they were stronger than all of it.

"Just passing through." Winry asserted, her arms crossing over her chest in defiance of their pitying looks.

"You should be thanking us." The smaller of the four asserted and his fingers pointed to something behind them.

Turning over his shoulder Jean saw the bodies of two walkers. The big man pushed by him and took out a butcher knife, stooping over the walker that was still twitching. He drove the blade through its skull and with a final suction cup noise the blade was released, and the body fell silent. The large man turned and began to walk towards them, specifically Winry.

Jean put his hand on the hilt of his hunting knife. The man was staggering and reminded Jean of someone Alex Armstrong would admire. Strangely enough the man was kneeling beside Winry and looking at her cut. "Were you hurt?"

Winry looked just as perplexed as Jean felt.

"I'm fine." She answered calmly.

He stood up but still managed to look intimidating belaying the kindness in his voice. "You will need a good meal and some rest."

Jean couldn't imagine this was an invitation when it sounded awfully like an order. "We don't have anything to offer you in return?"

"You are alive. The more of us that are, the better chance we have." The large man pointed out like it was obvious.

Winry smiled at the large man and Jean wondered who was disarming who. "Food would be wonderful."

The youngest male held out his hands. "Afraid we are going to need to confiscate those." He indicated to their weapons."Cant be too careful."

Jean grumbled under his breath and Winry nudged him to follow.

"The wrench too." he said.

"Its a tool." Winry protested hotly.

The younger male grinned at her, "Of course it is, but its also a weapon."

Jean had already handed over his shotgun and a hunting knife, but he also knew the wrench distraction had allowed him to conceal his second knife. Taking a deep breath he looked over the group. "Since we're being friendly anyone got a smoke I can bum?"

"We need to move." The large man asserted.

Rather than assert his rather honest question Jean decided to feed the itch with curiosity. They needed to figure out just where they were. Something about the way they eyed Winry and her wrench made him wonder if they weren't far from Rush Valley.

As they followed behind the group, or rather were surrounded Jean noticed uneasily, they began to approach a large wall of dirt. They were both thinking along the same lines.

"Alchemy?" Winry mouthed, her eyes wide.

"Where are we, and who are you people?" Jean demanded.

A woman in white approached them then, as if she had been watching from somewhere close the whole time. "Just a simple housewife." A grin stretched eerily across her face.


	5. Soldiers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy and Riza reconcile the past with the present.

_What does it mean to be human?_ They were slaughtering these walkers, but Riza wondered who should be killing who. It was brief, fleeting, but the thought still snuck its way into her head and her finger hesitated on the trigger. There it was, a moment of deeper consciousness, one she should have learned to tune out in Ishval. Now, it was crawling its way back, in a way that made her feel like one of those decaying bodies below just ambling around in the dark.

The radio blurted out a request and Fuery responded back. He started to shout the translation, but RIza cut him off. Keeping her eye on the scope of her gun she took a deep breath. “I know, I heard it.”

Fuery cleared his throat, already sounding distinctly uncomfortable. “Hawkeye.”

Riza turned for just a moment, long enough to send a searing glare at her former colleague. “I’m fine.”

Firing two quick shots Riza watched as the small bodies crumpled in the street. Fuery radioed and whoever was listening came out of their lookouts, dragged the bodies together before setting them on fire. Riza wondered if the two little girls had been sisters, she hoped they were in a better place, together. A hand touched her shoulder and she nodded. Fuery didn’t have to say it, Riza knew she was no good to them like this.

She found Roy talking with the Elric boys when she returned. They shared a look before she joined in on their conversation. Dr. Marcoh had given Alphonse some treatments and the boy’s sharp and bony edges were beginning to mellow. Edward was unusually quiet and fidgety in a way that let Riza know his mind was somewhere in the distance. She also noticed that he kept sneaking glances at Roy’s eyepatch. That was something she would let him explain when and if he chose to.

“Let’s go for a walk, what do you say Hawkeye?”

Riza almost saluted, almost, it was a funny habit to break. Then there were some habits she didn’t mind holding on to. “Yes sir.”

They walked in tandem through the courtyard, Black Hayate following in their wake. Even though it was tightly fenced in, Riza still kept a hand on her pistol.

“They’re leaving in a week.”

That peaked her interest. “All of the them? Or just Olivier, Miles and Buccaneer?”

Roy touched the eyepatch, his fingers looking like they wanted to itch. “Olivier, Miles, Buccaneer and nearly all of the Northern soldiers.”

That didn’t particularly surprise Riza, those men had pledged their lives to the North, the city would never compare. Especially now. “Might be safer up North.”

That made Roy pause, a grin twitching at the corner of his lips. “Safer in the North huh? Never thought I’d hear anyone say that.”

“Well, are you ready?” If Olivier was leaving than that left one man in charge and it certainly wasn’t the ice queen’s brother Alex.  Riza wished this moment had more gravity, this was a position he had always coveted.

“Not for this.” He didn’t have to stoop to pat Hayate’s full grown body. “I never thought I’d lead a country that doesn’t exist.”

Riza knew the look on his face, they had exchanged it earlier. “Reminds you of Ishval too doesn’t it?”

“Destruction, extermination and people who believe they are doing it all for the right reasons. Sounds like Ishval.” He leveled his gaze at her.

Riza took one of his hands, interlacing their fingers together. “I will follow you until the end sir.”

“We’re alone Hawkeye.” He half grinned. “There’s no need for formalities.”

“I know." It was easier to pretend their world wasn't dying if she pretended like nothing had changed.

 


	6. Teacher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The woman in white claimed to be a simple housewife but from the looks of it, Winry highly doubted this woman should have any label that included simple.

Winry laughed in delight as they played in time with the banjo, slapping their knees and singing along. It felt good to be amongst others again and let go of the fear that had plagued them for so long. The fire brought warmth and a touch of nostalgia as the country beat soothed her nerves. Jean was in all his glory as he sang joyfully along. Winry thought this newfound freedom might have more to do with the moonshine than choice. Jean noticed her watching and held the mason jar in front of her, his head nodding her on. Leaning forward she tried to sniff its contents but was thwarted as he pulled it back.

“No way Rockbell, you don’t want to be sniffing that. Best you just throw it back.”

Winry wrinkled her nose, “That bad huh?”

“That good.” Jean countered.

Taking a small sip Winry sputtered before she remembered where she was. Steeling herself, she sat up straighter and took a proper gulp, the liquid burning all the way down. She had dealt with far worse and by the way the liquid warmed from the inside out, she thought maybe this was exactly what she needed.

Jean was smiling at her and then he wasn’t. A strange feeling began to brew in her stomach as his gaze became penetrating. “We’re going to find him.”

“Who?” Winry asked, but even as the words left her mouth she was already thinking about Edward.

Jean hesitated, his hand cautiously taking up residence on her thigh where he gave it a small squeeze. “I bet he’s out there right now trying to find his way back to you.”

She nodded, hoping his words were true and not just a feeble attempt at making her feel better. Gran had once reprimanded her for sugar coating the truth. _Best spit out the poison before it kills_ she had advised. Maybe she should have spit out the truth to Edward that day up in her bedroom. He had looked so tall and they had been so close to…close to something.

Winry hardly knew Jean Havoc, but he had stayed with her and Gran through the worst of it. He had chosen to stay when he could have left and there was something to be said about how that made her feel too. It was that damn southern charm, he had an easy way about him. Sitting next to him made her feel different, but she kept drinking in hopes that those unnecessary thoughts might go away.

Their hosts had been generous but when the woman joined them Winry wasn’t sure how long the hospitality might last. The woman in white claimed to be a simple housewife but from the looks of it, Winry highly doubted this woman should have any label that included simple. In fact everything about this place was impressive to say the least. Despite the destruction outside they had created a sanctuary of sorts. This was the largest congregation of humans they had run into in their travels to Central. While they had been nothing but kind, Winry did wonder if they should have been more cautious. In a world without rules and authority, it was hard to determine whether someone was friend or foe.

“Where are you traveling from?” The woman questioned taking a seat next to her.

Winry thought it best if Havoc kept his mouth shut around a powerful woman so she answered for them. “Resembool.”

The woman exchanged a look with the large man next to her and for a brief second Winry wondered if she had met them before, but she would remember this couple. How strange even their voices brought back memories of shouting and the word _sensei_ ran through her mind.

“Resembool, that’s an awfully small town. What did you say your name was?”

Winry thought about lying, _thought_ about it. “Winry Rockbell.”

The woman exchanged another look with the man before her stance changed and she was grinning from ear to ear. “Winry Rockbell huh? I thought I recognized you, you must be Edward's mechanic.”

The name shook her, as it always did when coming from someone else’s mouth. “You know Edward?”

The woman looked a bit sad and Winry wondered if asking questions like that might reveal a truth she wasn’t quite ready for.

“I was their teacher. My name is Izumi Curtis and this is my husband Sig. It’s nice to meet you Winry.”

Winry was flooded with memories of Alphonse shuddering at the mere mention of his teacher. Winry had been under the impression that their teacher would be something closer to the large man standing over them as opposed to this maternal looking woman.

Jean butted in then, maybe sensing bad news was not far. “So you’re the alchemist that did all of this?”

Izumi gave him a look before nodding.

Sig looked proud. “We fought together on the promised day.”

Winry had studied alchemists her whole life, she should be an expert, but this woman didn’t seem like the typical alchemist. It was strange meeting the woman who had taught those boys the science that had taken them so very far from home. It was also intimidating to have this woman surveying her as if she were the threatening one. “You were there on the promised day? Did you see them?”

Izumi looked unnerved by that. “I saw a lot on the promised day but yes, I saw Edward and Alphonse.”

Winry knew it was awfully rude to be interrogating her host, but she was desperate for answers and this woman might just have them. “Was Al, was he whole again?”

Izumi shook her head, “After Edward took the last shot at the leader of the homonculi he returned his arm from the other side of the gate and then…”

“His arm?”

The woman gave her a sad smile, “You built him that arm didn’t you?”

Winry felt the urge to supplant her importance. “And his leg.”

“Of course you did and you should be proud, it saved his life you know.” The woman leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees as she looked into the fire. “He said he knew what he was doing, idiot apprentice.”

Winry felt the dread return, “After he got his arm back, did he try to get his leg back too?”

“No.” Izumi refused to look her in the eyes. “He tried to bring Alphonse back.”

Tried. Edward had _tried_ , meaning he didn’t succeed. The thought of Alphonse not coming back was unexpected and painful. Somewhere in the depths of her feelings for Edward she had not considered the possibility that he wouldn’t keep his promise. She had assumed he would bring his brother back or at least he would stay as a suit of armor and be protected from the horrors that had been brought down on them all. “Alphonse?”

Izumi gave her a look that said it all. “The suit no longer moved when Edward vanished.”

Vanished. WInry hated the way her voice shook like she was some pitiful child. “Vanished?” Her fingernails dug into the bare skin of her knees. “He never came back?”

Izumi took her shoulder and forced her to look directly into her eyes. “That doesn’t mean he hasn’t come back. Alchemy is equivalent exchange Winry. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that you have come here. Those boys made a promise to you to come home didn’t they?”

Winry thought about her grandmother then, about Pitt, about the hundreds of other people in Resembool who had been turned. “Our home is gone.”

“I’m not talking about Resembool.” She put a hand on Winry’s shoulder, “I’m talking about you.”

Winry had nothing to say to that so she sat there and watched as Izumi took the bottle of moonshine away and ushered her to follow her up and out of the jolly group of strangers who she no longer had any desire to laugh with.

“No need to dwell on that now. I think its best we all get some rest and discuss this when everyone is sober.” Her eyes flashed to Jean who half growled half stumbled in their wake.

It was a bed, a real honest bed and despite the ache in her chest it felt good to close her eyes. Havoc had insisted on sleeping outside, making up some excuse about the heat and not minding the fresh air. Winry thought that was chivalrous but ignored the way he looked when he said it. There was something else in those eyes and Winry wasn’t sure she deserved it. But she was tired and dawn might bring the answers she was looking for so there was no protesting when he took his post outside.

The next morning WInry was woken by the loud booming laugh that she came to find out belonged to Mr. Curtis. Apparently, he had some stories that involved Alex Armstrong and his sister fighting Sloth. Jean seemed to find the idea of Alex and Olivier fighting together humorous. Winry knew both of them and thought it sounded absolutely terrifying.

Sensing another’s presence Jean turned around, “How you feeling this morning Bell?”

A hollow suit had haunted her throughout the night but if someone like Izumi believed they were out there, she had no right to doubt it. So instead of lying she shrugged her shoulders and gave them a smile to let him know that no matter what she was feeling they would keep moving forward.

Sig smiled at her, “There is someone who wants to talk to you.”

Winry stopped mid-stretch and tilted her head to the side. “Who?”

A girl came around the corner and Winry sagged in relief. “Panniya!”

The dark-skinned girl looked a bit rougher than the last time she had seen her but in good spirits. The distinct whine in her left leg joint had her mind whirling in ways it hadn’t in months. “Hey Winry! Long time no see huh?”

There was no escaping the thoughts of a pocket watch and the tears that had followed. Would there ever be a person or place that didn’t bring up memories of Edward? Thankfully her interest in the girls automail took precedence. “How long has it been like that?”

Panniay shrugged, “Hmm been like that for some time now.”

“Mind if I take a look?” She might not have her shop but she did have her wrench.

Panniya suddenly brightened, “Would you? Man this thing is sure loud, would be nice not to attract a whole herd out there just because I took a few steps.”

Winry ignored the casual mention of a herd, she knew Panniya wasn’t referring to cows or sheep. It wasn’t long until she had a few people coming forward from the small community, each eager to have the first automail mechanic they’d seen in months check out their problems. It was a lot of tune ups and things that thankfully could be solved with the few supplies they did have. As for the man who had needed his whole arm amputated Winry knew she would not be able to take on such a large task. After turning him down she took break and walked away from it all until she was staring up at the large wall of dirt, the only thing separating them from the madness.

Looking up she could feel the emotion building in her chest until it hurt to hold it in. Taking short breaths, she chewed on her lower lip, arms snaking around her chest until the first sob snuck its way out. Before long the tears subsided and she was wiping her face clear of the evidence. This wasn’t the time to pretend she was a little girl who needed to be rescued. She wasn’t going to stop until she had answers, concrete answers that she could touch and feel. Grieve over if needed and then move on. No more waiting, no more pretending that an apple pie would be enough.

“We could use your expertise around here.” Izumi gestured to both of them.

It had been a week since they had arrived in Dublith but they needed to keep moving. Winry could see it, a life of hiding behind a wall. She had suggested that maybe Jean stay but he had snorted so loud the water he had been drinking shot through his nostril causing a coughing fit. Izumi and Sig were another story entirely. Whatever their relationship with the boys was, it was still deep enough that they had considered joining but they had responsibilities in Dublith and those were no so easily discarded. Supplies given, weapons returned and a strong handshake later they set off with the eyes of Edwards teacher watching their backs.

“Central?” Jean looked ahead.

Winry shook her head pointing at the next spot on the map and praying that she might find her own teacher waiting for her with open arms. “Rush Valley.”

 

* * *

Edward watched as his brother wiped the sweat from his brow, a grin slowly stretching across his face. "Not bad." He commented.

Al straightened from his sparring stance, looking proud of himself. 

"Not bad at all." Ed admitted more to himself. It was unsaid, but the stronger his younger brother got the closer they were to leaving Central. _The closer we will be to finding her._


	7. Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rush Valley is not the safe-haven Winry remembers.

The monsters had originated in Central all thanks to the diluted mind of the gold toothed doctor. But it was the spread of their DNA and the infiltration of their desires into the unsuspecting victims throughout the city that had been staggering. The speed at which it infected and spread had left a society already at the mercy of the promised day now on their knees. Mustang had his hands full with rebuilding the leadership infrastructure, keeping the people safe and attempting to rectify the infection itself. A part of that plan had recently been offered to the Elric brothers and Edward wasn't sure what to say. There it was, the request he knew was more like a plea.

The Northern soldiers had left days ago and while they had families and friends to protect, Edward couldn’t help but wonder who would fill that void. Central needed as much help as it could get. Now Mustang had put both himself and his brother in a tough situation.

“I know you believe you have to do this, but I hope you understand the risks.” Roy asserted after Edward remained quiet for probably too long. "We could use your help here."

“I promised her.”

Alphonse nodded in agreement. “We need to go home first.”

Roy sighed before shaking his head, “If you haven’t noticed this world has changed since you’ve come back. There’s a chance that-”

The risks. The risk that they could be overwhelmed by walkers was nothing compared to the ultimate risk. Edward knew that by going home they would have to face the possibility of what might have become of their childhood friend and her grandma.

“There’s a chance that they are alive.” Edward confirmed. “That’s all we need.”

“Looks like everyone is scattering to the wind around here, I suppose you two are next?” Breda interrupted looking unimpressed.

Edward looked at his brother and nodded his head. Alphonse was still on the mend but he was as ready as they could be.

Hawkeye entered the room and there could be no doubt she had been eavesdropping. “You understand we wont be able to protect you out there.”

Edwards scoffed, “Yeah, think we’ll manage.”

Riza narrowed her eyes, “There are worse things than walkers Edward. Walkers don't think. There are other monsters out there, ones without a foundation of rules and no one to keep them in line. You would be wise to keep your eyes pealed and your guard up.”

It irked him that the three other adults in the room were acting as if they were children. “We survived on that farm for long enough.”

“You survived in an area that was actively being cleansed by our troops.” Roy argued.

Edward felt an urgency that didn’t seem to affect those around him. “We can’t just sit here forever. We’ve already wasted too much time.”

* * *

The harsh sunlight seemed to have zapped their motivation, like the sun evaporating the moisture from every last orifice. Jean was not familiar with Rush Valley but he knew they would know when they reached it. Thankfully the lack of population had left them walker free for the moment. A part of him was disappointed he hadn’t convinced Winry to stay in Dublith. Dublith was garrisoned and filled with people who had all actively wanted to protect each other. That sounded a lot more promising than chasing ghosts into a city without any real confirmation of what they would find. But Winry was right, they couldn’t move forward without dealing with these unresolved questions.

Jean didn’t want to admit that he was also dealing with an unresolved issue with Winry because that made him feel guilty and low. He was used to dealing with strong women, but Winry offered something different and he finally understood the dynamic Fullmetal had with her. Lucky man, hopefully he was lucky enough to have survived this madness.

"This one time I took a pretty girl out for a picnic and she said the heat was too much. At first I thought she might be complementing me but then she went and passed out." He looked over at Winry and wagged his brows, "How we doing over there?"

Winry gave him a simple shake of her head, a grin tugging at the edges of her lips. "I'm a southern girl, remember?"

"The best usually are." Let her make what of that she wanted. Something had changed in Dublith, it was easier to think about what the future might bring. Izumi and her husband had saved that town and he thought there was a good chance his friends had done the same. 

It took a few days but when they finally arrived in Rush Valley they were uneasy from the start. The relaxed air between them began to tense and he knew without her saying anything that something wasn't right.

It was quiet. This point in the game he was aware that silence did not mean the absence of a threat.

Winry nervously pulled out her wrench and suddenly the conversation between them just dropped off. He knew her mind was racing and he felt the same. This was not the Rush Valley she had described; this was not a bustling town of mechanics and engineers. It wasn't an easy decision to make but they both knew they needed to stock up on resources if they wanted to make it to Central. They needed to at least attempt to look for supplies to get them through the last leg of their journey or they would have to rely on scavenging. Jean would prefer a straight trek because time was of the essence.

The closer they got, the worse the situation became. The buildings were ransacked and the presence of discarded tools had Winry looking even more concerned. She mentioned something about tools that had him looking at the scene in a whole new light. 

_A good mechanic didn’t leave expensive tools lying around and a smart mechanic wouldn’t leave home without them._

Winry seemed most adamant that they reach a shop with roses on the sign. It didn't take Jean long to figure out why she chose this particular shop. Although dusty, the name of her teacher was visible on the sign and he wondered if he should go in first. Instead she barged through the open door without hesitation. They scouted the place for walkers before getting to work. Together they sifted through cabinets and drawers. Jean listened carefully as Winry explained where her teacher had kept supplies for patients. They managed to grab some medical ointments and bandages, as well as some canned goods Winry found in storage.

“Winry.” He motioned for her to join him.

As she got closer, he picked the picture off the wall from behind the telephone and held it out to her. From the way her face softened and she blinked a few extra times he knew this was a good find. The picture was of Winry and Edward along with a suit of armor that could only be Alphonse.

“Thank you.”

“Think its time we moved on.” He noticed her hesitance. “Do you really want to find out why no one’s here?”

She shook her head sadly.

They were just about to head out into the street when he heard it. The distinct sound was growing and it made his stomach drop. Pushing a hand out to stop Winry’s advance he moved towards the front of the shop and peaked out the dust covered windows. Turning back to his travel companion he shoved the last of the goods into his bag, “We need to leave, _now_. Is there a back entrance?”

“Yes.” She looked back over his shoulder but he pushed her away.

“We need to go.”

She led him down a series of stairs, “There’s an old coal shoot in the basement we can fit through.” She glanced back at him and he knew she wanted to know what he had seen, but he would rather they get out first. He hoisted her up first and after a few shoves the shoot opened and Winry was reaching down to help him.

It was then that he saw the body reaching towards her but before he could call out in warning Winry’s hand was ripped out of his grasp. Falling back against the dirt floor he rebounded back to his feet, ignoring the protest of his legs and gripped the ledge in his hands. His feet desperately worked against the wall to get a solid grip. With a loud grunt he brought himself up and managed to drag his body through the opening. Looking around he slowly raised his hands in surrender.

A group of around ten fully armed men had surrounded them. Winry was being held in the middle, her hands placed on her head in surrender.

“Easy.” He said, holding his palms open, “We’re all on the same side here.”

When no one answered he looked back in the direction of where he had seen the herd. “Listen we need to move, there’s a herd-“

* * *

Winry gasped as the butt of a gun made contact with Jeans body, forcing him to his knees.

Another man stepped forward, a strong set to his jaw as he put a finger to his lips, “Best be quiet little bird or that herd will be coming this way.”

They took both of their bags and weapons before throwing her against her blond haired friend. She tried to catch his eye but he was too busy looking around, not doubt trying to find a way out of it all.

The cold barrel of a gun pressed against her temple and suddenly Winry wasn’t worried about the monsters headed their way, she was worried about the monsters already there.

“What makes you think you could sneak up and steal our goods?” Said a man with steeled toed boots, a worn leather rancher hat atop his head.

“I used to work here.” Winry hoped her voice didn’t sound as unsure as she did. “We aren’t staying.”

“No, no, no.” The man bent down to her level. “I believe you were stealing. Stealing goods-“ He shook one of their bags “That are not yours.”

Winry shook her head, “There was no one here, we would have never-“

He put a finger to her lips, “Shhhh, but there are people here and these are trying times. These are godless times.”

There was a snicker that traveled around the group that had encircled them.

“We’re on your side.” Jean managed to spit out.

That made Winry more worried than assured because he didn’t sound quite right. Glancing out of the corner of her eye she noticed the trail of blood running down from his scalp. They had hurt him pretty bad.

“And what side is that exactly?” The man straightened up, redirecting his stare to Jean.

“The living.” Jean asserted, a bit more confidently than before.

“Only the living that matter and _you_ look pretty disposable.” He took another step forward towards Jean. “One less mouth to feed, one less person to get infected, one less person to worry about.”

The man seemed to enjoy the attention of his followers because he began to walk the circumference of the space, keeping that stupid grin on his face. “This town was full of people to worry about too. And now their gone and all that’s left is what you’ll find walking towards you in a moment.”

Winry wondered how big this herd was, Jean had only told her to move.

“Since this one is so pretty, think we’ll keep her. But we are at capacity for males.”

They began to drag them then and with a gun no longer at her temple Winry thrashed against their grip. They were being pulled along an ally between the shops and then they were dropped in the middle of the street. The breath caught in her throat as she stared at the coming onslaught. Their belongings were gone and so was he wrench. Winry felt naked with the way the men undressed her with their eyes. How could they be looking at her with those things marching towards them?

“So what do you say pretty little bird, would you like to live?”

Winry thought about the worst men she had ever met in her life. She considered the cunning cruelty of men like King Bradley or Zolf Kimbley. Then there were the men like Scar who were born in trying times and wore cruelty like a suit of armor. Had these men been decent before the plague? Could she appeal to their humanity?

“Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Just let us go, please. We have people waiting for us.”

Jean grumbled out something but she couldn’t make it out.

The leader of the group pushed the brim of his hat up revealing a strange expression. “What will you do?"

Winry felt her mouth go dry. What would she do? Worse what did they want her to do?

"Oh darling we sure are running out of time here.” He gestured to the oncoming herd, no one budging an inch. “You best get on with it.”

Winry unsteadily got to her feet, “I’m a mechanic I can fix or build anything you need. And Jean…Jean knows the military barracks like the back of his hand. Central’s headquarters has all the supplies we could ever need and he can help us get them.”

The man seemed to consider her offer and just when she began to hope for time he began to sneer again. “A mechanic in Rush Valley, you don’t think the others made similar offers? Now Central…funny thing about Central is that that’s where all this nonsense began.” He nodded towards another one of his men and suddenly Jean was laid out in the dirt.

A shrill cry of agony came out of her companion as two of the men began to throw kicks to his side.

“Please.” She was on her knees, despite the leader’s sudden grip on her shirt, her body sagging towards Jean. Pressing her hands together she begged for them to stop.

“Time to make your peace with God.” One of the men instructed as he hoisted the collar of Jean’s shirt up, attempting to look him in the eyes.

Jean could barely turn his head in her direction, but he tried. “I’m sorry.”

They took one last hit and when Jean crumpled to the ground in a heap Winry lost it. She didn’t need to check his pulse or listen for his breath because if he could hear her screams he wouldn’t be lying there. A hand grasped over her mouth and while they warned her to be quiet, Winry persisted. This was a battle and she was going to fight to the end.

Let the dead come, let them tear their flesh from the bones, let every last man pay his penance for the brutality they had let rain down. They had done nothing to deserve this.

The anger was simmering and the louder she tried to scream, the harder the man grasped until at last she did what any creature of this world would in the end, she tore at the human flesh with her teeth.

The man retracted his hand, cursing loudly before forcing her to the ground. Face pressed into the dirt Winry sputtered out a mouthful and was rewarded with the tightening of a rag across her mouth, officially gagging her pleas into silence. The large man looked like he wanted to hit her again, but instead put a hand around her neck, fixing her with a gaze that told her more than anything that this wasn’t over.

When they began to drag her away, she watched helplessly as the herd descended upon Havoc and then she couldn’t watch any longer.

Her eyes were scratchy with a dryness that had nothing to do with Rush Valley. They had taken her to one of the bigger shops at the northern end of town and at some point, she had stopped struggling and just let them drag her along. Instead she thought of Dublith and wished she had never left those walls.


	8. Little Bird

After spending time with the group of men for several days a few things became clear to Winry. First, not all of the men were strangers. In fact Winry recognized one of the men as a mechanic who lived in Rush Valley and had often asked her master for advice or extra parts. Second, it was clear these men did not let others join their ranks and that her acquisition was out of the ordinary. Simply put, they didn’t know what to do with her. Winry tried to gauge if the man from Rush Valley might be of use to her, but his indifference only fueled her need to flee. As for the leader, he was more ellusive than the rest, only showing his face once or twice. What was more disconcerting was just how blindly these men agreed to his requests. Was it loyalty or fear? Last but not least was that from the looks of it they were a mobile operation and if she didn’t escape soon, she might be taken farther away from Central.

It wasn’t until the fifth day that Winry realized her care had been turned over. These two were different than the others, they didn’t speak to her unless they were ordering her to do something. Her previous watchers let her use the bathroom with the door shut, but these two men had different ideas. 

“We’ve been ordered to keep guard, so we’ll be keeping guard.”

The way they grinned as she moved to shut the door made her insides squirm. Winry would love nothing more than to bathe but she would rather her skin crawl in dirt than in disgust.

“You needed to use the bathroom, so you’re going to use it. Unless you need our help.”

Swallowing back her disgust, Winry began to slowly pull the shirt over her head. Shooting a look over her shoulder she scowled at them. She decided she wasn't going to cry anymore, not until she had escaped their grasps. Reluctantly she began to undress, doing her best to keep herself covered with her hands. Stepping into the warm water, Winry finally turned her gaze away and sunk under the surface. Under the water she pretended it was just Rose standing in that door and they would share their stories of the Elric brothers. Maybe they would laugh about how stupid boys could be and then she would be on the next train home.

They weren’t unkind at first, they offered her food, water and a change of clothes. But there was an underlying threat and a narrative she knew had not been revealed.

“Now don’t you look like a fresh daisy.”

Winry sat up straighter in the chair, her voice still hoarse from not being used. “Are you so threatened by a girl that you need to keep her tied up?”

The man frowned, “What are we going to do with you."

"Let me go. You don't need another mouth to feed."

He seemed to consider her words before shaking his head.

"Its been hard for my men without a female to keep them occupied. You see where Im going with this don't you?"

Winry narrowed her eyes. "I don't play nice."

The man leaned forward, "Oh little bird we know you don't play nice. Jimmy needed stitches from that mouth of yours. But Im offering you a place amongst us, as long as you behave. Can you do that?”

Winry wondered how many women they had come across and what happened to those that said the truth. It didn't matter though, she decided she would perfer to live in reality than on eggshells of half hearted threats. “No.”

He must have expected her response because he nodded his head and got to his feet. “Well I thought you might come around, but maybe you need a little more time to consider what we are offereing you.”

Two large men walked in and it was clear the talking was over.

“Let’s see if my boys can’t loosen you up to the idea.”

Her mouth opened to protest but they wasted no time as the leader with the hat left, shutting the door firmly behind him. Winry began to panic, all of her former bravado and courage dying on her lips.

The larger of the two held her still as the other gagged her, tying it is so tight she thought she might choke on it.

It was then that she realized they had not brought weapons with them and she knew this lesson they were supposed to teach her would be worse than any pain a tool could inflict. Winry closed her eyes and pretended she could hear the fields whispering in the hills. _I'm walking up the hill, my family is waiting for me._  It was so bright there that she could feel the sun on her face and taste the smell of apple pie as it wafted through the air.

When they forced her to the ground and began to tug at her clothes she fought like hell, but she was no match.

Any attempt at escaping into her mind was lost as the sun died and visions of fields were replaced with sounds of grown men as they shredded her dreams. At last she opened her eyes and rolled her head to the side letting her gaze trace the grains of the wood floor until the end of the planks.

At least it had been quick and she made sure to stare at the man who held her down because it was one thing to hurt, it was another to watch as it happened and do nothing. When they left, Winry found herself staring at the ropes that bound her hands and began to chew on the gag in her mouth, tasting the wet cotton. She had not come this far to live in captivity like some pig being fed for slaughter. Struggling to get her clothes back on, Winry focused on pulling herself together as best as she could.

It hurt, it hurt in every way that she could think of.

But she wasn’t dead.

_Even if at the moment she wished she was._

The world had always been cruel, robbing her of things that she couldn't get back.

This was just another event in a series of blows that threatened to knock her down, but it was the first time she didn't want to get up. There was no gran to to take her in, no brothers to make her smile and no fields to get lost in. 

Taking a deep breath through her nose she made a list of the evil things that had been done to her, that she had seen and then she breathed them out. The lump in her throat only grew as she realized she wasn’t going to make it to Central, she wasn’t going to see her friends again. The sooner she accepted that, the sooner she could push forward and decide what came next. Curling up against the wall she listened to the footsteps outside the door and kept a count in her head. She was going to pay closer attention to the details.

* * *

Alphonse wiped the sweat that had pooled at his temples with the sleeve of his shirt. Getting back to his feet he waved off his brother’s concern. “I’m fine, its just freaking hot here.”

Edward sighed, “We’re headed south It’s only going to get hotter.”

“Think we should stop by Rush Valley and pick up some tools?” Alphonse suggested hoping to distract his brother.

“Why would we do that?”

Al shrugged, “Figured you might want to bring presents, we are a little late coming home.”

Edward shook his head, “At this point I’d almost welcome a wrench to the head, but I don’t need to give her one to do it.”

“Come on brother, it’s not too far off course. We could say hi to Garfiel and maybe rest for a bit.” The last part sort of slipped out, but he made sure to stand up taller and pretend that he wasn’t in need of a rest.

“There hasn’t been any communication from Rush Valley Al, for all we know-”

“There wasn’t any from Resembool either.” He countered.

“I don’t think we are going to like what we find there.” Edward shook his head, “We stick to the original plan.”

* * *

It had been about a week since she had been taken in by the gang of men.  They were a rag tag kind of group, but it was clear that they had survived the initial purge by turning themselves into vial scum. She had stopped eating until they began to shove it down her throat. For a while she wasn’t sure what to think and then it came, a sign she had never expected.

A small bird had perched in her window, one that sang the most beautiful song and when it left all she could think was that its coloring was the same as Edward’s eyes. Winry also decided that if that little bird could be fly free so could she.

That was when she began to ask herself what they would do and it came to her. These were vial human beings, but they were bruts and she could outsmart them. When she first began to undermine their authority it gave her a high and a piece of her confidence returned. The first had been discovering the layout of the floor. She was on the first floor and the sounds and echoes had indicated where she might go to leave said floor. Not only that, but she managed to get one of the back boards of the chair loose enough that it broke off in one clean piece. No one paid attention to what was now missing from the chair when she sat so nicely upon it every time, they came in. That felt good and she prided herself on the way the end of the piece now resembled a stake. She had long since freed her bonds, but they never took notice of the way the ropes sagged around her wrists. They were too busy paying attention to other things. They ogled her and while only the man named Jimmy had touched her, she could imagine that he wouldn’t be the only one and that might not be the only time it happened. To protect herself she plotted and used every waking moment to plan her escape.

Jimmy it seemed couldn’t be held at bay and she was counting on it. There was no doubt he was a sadistic but selfish idiot who would want her all to himself. Two was one too many, but one man by himself were odds she was willing to play with. Winry decided to play nice, even hinting she would like them to be alone. The way his eyes flashed let her know he heard every word. Men like him were clumsy and he was sure to underestimate what she was capable of. When he finally came to her, it was in the middle of the night, and she knew he was _all alone_.

“You better make sure no one can hear us.” She had told him when he snuck in.

He had sized her up with a leering gaze before leaving and when he returned, she knew he had cleared the area. Good. She let him put his hands on her, held back the urge to bring the stake up and smash it through his skull.

Winry waited until he was too busy pulling his own pants down and then she struck him across the head. The way he slumped to the floor gave her the permission and vindication she needed.

Breathing hard she pulled the dress skirt down and stood shakily to her feet. Looking at the pointed edge of the stick she debated for a moment and then decided on a different plan. Patting down his pants she found a switch blade and pocketed it for herself. Peaking out into the hallway it seemed Jimmy had been good for one thing; the area was clear.

Clinging to the shadows she stalked her way through the hallway and even past a room with a light on. When she arrived at the front door she nearly cried out in relief.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Winry turned quickly, the switchblade held out in defense. “Don’t move or I’ll slit your throat.” She whispered fiercely. _She had come too far, too damn far._

Even in the dim moonlight she could see this was the only member of the gang she had recognized as a Rush Valley resident.

He stepped forward, this time his voice sounded softer, almost as if he were calming a frightened deer.  “You’re safer here.”

That was a lie. “I’ll take my chances.”

“Go, but you won’t get past that herd they’ll linger for days before retreating.”

Winry ignored his words and bolted out the door. Once she was out in the open, she realized she had no idea what came next, but she ran as fast as her feet would carry her.

Heading down the street Winry could hear shouts in the distance but she was more concerned about the shadows that were beginning to materialize in the darkness. Her footsteps began to slow as the shouts drew them in her direction. They were closing in and while she fully recognized she should turn around she couldn’t stomach the idea of going back to that place. Pulling out the knife she armed herself and decided she would rather end it here fighting.

The first few walkers came slow and steady allowing her to take aim and push them off. Then her foot slipped and she realized this might be it. Keeping her arms outstretched she screamed in effort and frustration. It felt like she was suffocating and that reminded her of the promised day…and all the promises she wasn’t going to keep.

Then the walkers were redirected and as she began to try and crawl out from the under the bodies of those she had slain, she saw him. A hooded figure reached out for her and while she couldn’t make out his face in the dark, she almost hoped to hear Jeans throaty laugh.

It didn’t take her long to realize this wasn’t Jean Havoc, and when he pulled her onto the back of his horse she just held on. They rode through the night and up into the mountains. Winry could barely walk when at last he helped her off the horse. Even with the sun barely peaking its head up Winry felt her jaw drop as she recognized the cabin and more importantly, the man, as he pulled his hood off.

“Dominic?” The tough layer began to flake away as he put his shoulder under her arm and helped her inside. The old man looked like he had added several lines to his aged face, but it was a familiar face and one she knew would never harm a hair on her head.

They sat in silence for a while, each just staring into the flames flickering in the fireplace. When he offered her a warm cup of tea Dominic didn’t flinch at the way she gripped the sleeve of his shirt not letting him walk away or how the sobs ripped through her as she let herself sag against him.


	9. Go on

Dominic had been patient with her, allowing her to cry until at last it felt like she could breathe again. Now they just sat across from one another and let the void between them speak volumes.

There were things Winry didn’t want to explain and it appeared there were just as many that Dominic himself would rather not get into. The first and most startling was the fact that his family was not in the picture. Their absence was obvious, but there had to be a story. Then again Dominic didn’t ask where her gran was or why she was by herself.

Winry decided that while she didn’t want to talk about what had happened, she also didn’t like the quiet. The quiet let her mind wander and it so readily fixated on every thrust and tear of innocence she had left.

Dominic exhaled loudly, his voice coming out coarse and rough. “Those men hurt you.”

Winry pulled the corners of the blanket he had offered her tighter around her shoulders. The words wouldn’t come and while it hurt and filled her with shame she nodded her head. Dominic stared and the piercing gaze finally forced her to speak.

“Do you know them?” Winry hoped he didn’t.

A sickly cough broke out of him before he responded. “Keep to myself up here.”

There it was, the question of his family right at the tip of her tongue but she swallowed it back knowing it would not be a kind story. “How did you find me?”

Dominic leaned forward resting his elbows on the table. His bushy brows narrowed. “The boy finally came to, told me about you. Couldn’t get much out of him before yesterday. Knew something was up when that herd got all riled up again.”

“Someone told you about me? Who?”

The older man frowned, jutting his thumb over his shoulder. “Military brat from Central.”

Winry felt her breath catch, military brat? _Edward?_ Her heart skipped and tumbled like a mouse scurrying around, desperate for protection. She was not prepared to see him, not now, but none of that mattered. “Edward?”

Winry stood up quickly taking the candle off the table with her and ignoring the old man’s protests. Racing down the hallway towards the room he had indicated she jerked open the handle and stumbled in. She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed that it wasn’t the right blonde or if she was relieved. “Jean Havoc you stupid idiot!” she cried out.

“Hello to you too Bell.” He looked pained as he tried to sit up, but she pushed him back down, falling onto her knees next to the bed.

Winry thought she might cry again, but instead she just laughed. “You’re alive? How are you alive?”

At that he cringed, the lines in his face deepened, “Yeah I guess it didn’t look to good when we parted ways huh?”

He made a move to grab her hand but when she recoiled for a second his eyebrows knit together making his face darken. “I’ll kill those bastards.”

Winry sat back, her arms instinctively wrapping around her chest feeling defiant. Who was he to feel sorry for her? He was the one that was nearly beat to death and eaten alive. “It’s nothing, you’re alive I’m alive. That’s all that matters.”

Jean didn’t take the hint, he persisted.

“What did they do to you?” He demanded.

Winry shook her head, stealing herself. “I’m alive, that’s it.”

Dominic walked in then, his own lantern casting a brightness to the room that left Winry a little speechless. She hadn’t noticed the bruises or stitches that were now apparent all over the parts of Havoc that weren’t covered. Her hand covered her mouth and she knew something was wrong when he stopped looking her in the eye. “We need to get you two out of here.”

“What?” Winry stared at Dominic.

“Those gits are headed this way. It won’t be long before they find this place.” Dominic looked decided, as if he knew something, they weren't privy to.

Jean grunted in pain as he tried to sweep his legs out of bed and stand. Winry pushed him back down. “Then we’ll fight those bastards.”

Dominic gave her a look. “We won’t win any kind of fight.”

Winry couldn’t hid the shudder that tore through her, there would be no going back to them. She would rather die. It pleased her a bit to imagine herself like one of those walkers as she feasted on their brains. That and only that might be true justice. Apparently, she had stated that out loud because her old mentor had a weird smirk on his face.

“I have one horse, but he’ll take you far enough.”

The gravity of the situation began to dawn on her.

“One horse, but what about you?” Winry felt confused.

Dominic chuckled darkly, “If you haven’t noticed this place has been dead for a long time, suppose I just needed time to get used to the thought.”

Memories of Dominic’s family flashed through her mind but she didn’t have the heart to ask what had become of that child and it suddenly felt selfish and unkind that it had not occurred to her think of him. “I…”

“You are worth more than a dying old man, so take the god damn horse before I change my mind.”

“We can’t.” She protested. “Look at him, he’s not fit to move.”

“That’s too bad because I am not going to explain to that woman why I let her granddaughter die. I have enough to answer for when I die.”

Jean was on his feet but Winry knew from the way his body trembled that he would not be able to walk. “How long do we have before they make the climb?”

Dominic motioned for her to assist him with Havoc. “Let’s not find out.”

It took both of them to haul Havoc on the horse and before they could ride off Winry sent one last pleading look her mentor’s way. “Dominic.”

He set his rifle onto his shoulder. “Best be going now.”

The old man smacked the horses bottom before she could protest anymore and then they were off. Winry heard the shots in the distance and hoped that it had been quick and painless whatever the outcome.

As much as Dominic had promised them his horse could take it, Winry knew it wasn’t going to take them far enough. Once Havoc had passed out, she slipped off the horse and managed to keep him upright as she led the horse forward by its reigns.

Walking in silence helped her piece through the shards of her life that had managed to stay imbedded in her skin. The rest had been blown away and there were times where she found it easier to wipe the slate clean than to attempt to piece it all back together.

Even if she did find Edward and Alphonse, what would they find of her?

* * *

They had stood at the bottom of the hill for long enough that Al wondered if they would ever actually climb it. Maybe they would just stare at it and if they focused hard enough something might magically appear.

There was nothing let of the Rockbell home but a pile of ash and debris.

Edward finally moved, his larynx bobbing as he looked around.

This wasn’t the homecoming either of them had imagined, but it hurt worse than he would have thought. “They probably went west, escaped all this.”

“She said she wouldn’t go.” Edward stared him down and for the first time Al recoiled at what was in his brothers’ eyes. “I told her to, she said no. Winry…goddammit.”

The older of the two began to breathe heavily and then he was throwing rocks at what was left of the yellow home on the hill.

“I told you to go!” He screamed. “I told her to save herself!”

Al felt the tears begin to roll down his face as he shakily raised his finger towards the wreckage.

Edward fell silent as a figure began to work its way up through the wreckage.

There was no need to look at it and Alphonse pleaded with his brother to come back as he recognized who it was.

Edward halted when he came close enough that it could almost reach out and grab his ankles.

“Granny.”


	10. Dead Weight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reason doesn't fill the heart like it does the brain.

They weren’t talking about it and that was probably for the best. Especially as the sun began to set and their problem still groaned from down below. For now, they sat on the hill and busied themselves with pretending they didn’t recognize the walker they had shoved back into the hole. Al looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye.

“I won’t.” Edward rubbed his hand over his mouth as if he were contemplating his next words.

“We need to open it back up.”

His older brother glared back at the sight of the burned house. “It was her, no one else.”

Al decided he would keep his doubts to himself, but his brother picked up on his silence anyways.

“Who else would burn it down Al?”

“Anyone brother. It could have been anyone, but you won’t let me look because you’re too scared.”

Edward gave him a shove, looking angrier than AL had seen him in a long time. “Piss off Al, I’m not pulling the old bat out to just kill her and I’m not…I don’t want to know the rest.”

“This isn’t the promised day Ed, we can’t just pretend that when this is over we can go back to how it was before. Look at it brother, its gone!”

The oldest Elric brother threw his hand out, pointing at what used to be. “You think I need you to remind me?!”

“No.” Al knew he was pushing his brothers’ buttons, but someone needed to be strong and maybe it was his turn to speak the truth. “I need you to let go so we can move forward.”

“Let go?” Edward threw his head back, his face turned up towards the sky. He exhaled and cracked his neck to the side before fixing his gaze back to earth. “Me not letting go is what got you back.”

Al took a step back as his brother poked his finger into his chest.

“You know how many people told me to let you go?” He grit his teeth together, “Even _you_ told me to move on. _I owe her more than this_.”

“So we’re going to ignore the fact that Winry may be down there, that she may be suffering just like granny is? We’re just going to cover it up and pretend it doesn’t exist?”

His brother released a sigh of air. “I don’t want to fight with you Al, I’m just saying we don’t need to go digging up the dead. Winry isn’t down there.”

It wasn’t much of a choice as it was a slow realization that they could never come home. That the place they were standing was missing the things that made it home.

* * *

 

Winry picked up the drawings, one after another, the tears rolling down her cheeks in earnest now. There were arrays, each more desperate than the one before. But it was the house on the hill, the yellow that only those who had been there could have captured. Sunflower gold with a hint of dust and wear.

Jean stirred and she quickly wiped her face putting the drawings back into a neat pile.

“They were here.” She could feel the grin on her face and felt stupid that while they were starving, stranded and desperate she was crying over drawings.

He reached a hand out but she was reluctant to hand them over.

“How can you be sure?”

She pointed at one in particular, her voice steadier than before. “Do you see that, who else would have remembered grans spit bucket, or bothered to draw in the missing shingles?”

Jean looked weary and she couldn’t begrudge him that, she was exhausted too. But this, this was what they needed. She needed hope and now she had it spades. What else but fate would have guided them to the farmhouse and now she had evidence those boys had made it through the promised day. Another part of her felt encouraged because Al couldn’t have drawn that as a suit of armor. She might be getting ahead of herself, but it was the first good clue they had stumbled across since they had started out.

Jean however did not seem impressed or excited about the news. “But they’re not here.”

Winry felt her smile drop as she tried to gauge her companion’s response. “There aren’t any supplies here, I’m sure they kept moving.”

“Drawings don’t mean they’re alive.”

Winry sucked in a breath, it was the first time he had said it out loud, even though she could tell he had been thinking it for a while.

“You’re just hungry and tired, you don’t mean that.” She lied for him.

“That’s true, but I still mean it.”

“Stop it.” Winry didn’t like where he was going with this.

“No.” Jean sat up, his face still pale and a bit hollow. “In case you haven’t noticed we aren’t the rescue party anymore. Maybe its time we just worry about surviving.”

“Why?” Winry could feel the anger flood her body even as the warning signs began to flash. “What is this all for if there’s no hope? What did we risk it all for then?”

“To live.” Jean protested, “To fucking be alive! Not to try and go off gallivanting on some damn rescue mission that was doomed from the start.”

“Well, you didn’t have to come!” Winry raised her voice. “I didn’t force you.”

“Yeah, well, you made sure to burn it all down in your wake. ‘Sides wasn’t much of a choice.”

Winry snatched the drawings back feeling betrayed. “Well I’m not forcing you now, you are free to go whenever you like. But I’m not giving up.” She held out the drawings, “Ed and Al are out there and I’m going to find them with or without your help.”

“And what if they’re dead? Huh? What will you do then?” Jean replied gruffly.

Winry turned her back on him then because she was going to regret the hurtful words that were on the tip of her tongue. If she listened close enough she knew he would talk some sense into her, but that’s not what she wanted. If he continued to talk enough sense she would break.

“I could have left you for dead.”

Fuck. It came out anyways.

“By all means.” Jean gestured around him. “You’d have done me a favor. I’m back to being the dead weight anyways.”

Winry knew that last part wasn’t meant for her ears but she heard it none-the-less. Suddenly she didn’t want to fight, she didn’t want to shout horrible things, she just wanted to know if she was alone in this.

“You’re not dead weight.” She admitted, all the air gone from her sails of rage.

Without all that emotion the room felt awful empty.

“What do you think we should do?” She admitted.

“I think the two of you should pay more attention to locking doors.” Riza Hawkeye had her gun drawn, but there was a grin on her face. “These are dangerous times.”


	11. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Resembool was now just a graveyard of lost loved ones and burned down houses.

Winry eyed the scar on Riza’s face. It didn’t match up to her unblemished version of the officer. In her mind she had always been untouchable but it seemed like this world had been beat down in more than one way. It also served as a much-needed reminder that no one was left untouched.

They must look the worse for wear but Riza didn’t let on and if the subtle grin on her features was any indicator, she was just as happy to see them as they were her.

With a disbelieving laugh Winry rushed forward and found receiving arms to embrace. Jean managed to get to his feet and even though Riza shook her head Winry could tell she was happy to receive the lopsided hug offered by Jean.

After a moment of looking each other over Riza snapped back into her earlier alerted state.

“We shouldn’t linger.” Her face broke back into that same endearing grin. “There are a lot of people that will be happy to see you two.”

Jean let out a deep breath that they were both probably holding. “Lot of people huh?”

Riza nodded but didn’t elaborate. “Like I said let’s move…unless you two would rather stay here?”

Winry caught the way her hand touched her gun as if she were preparing for an argument. RIza would not find one here, Winry was grinning from ear to ear.

“Lead the way.” Winry affirmed.

It was clear Riza was uncomfortable with their pace and the vulnerability it gave. Jean was on horseback with Riza leading and Winry following behind. Despite the progress they had made, Winry was viscerally aware that they were entering the largest city in Amestris and the clear epicenter of the breakout. It was hard to keep moving as the buildings around them began to draw closer and the sounds of distant walkers put them on edge. It felt like they were walking through a ghost town in the rural areas of Youswell.

The back of Riza’s hand came up, her halting signal keeping them frozen in place. Then she was standing again, a grin remerging on her face. “We’ve got eyes on us.”

Ahead there were figures emerging from the shadows, only these figures walked with straight backs and carried weapons. As they got closer, Winry knew they must be friends because they were dropping their weapons to their sides and it was clear they were amongst friends. There were faces she recognized, but it seemed the reunion was meant for Jean and Riza and she the bystander.

They reported to Riza as if she were their commanding officer and that gave Winry pause. If they were answering to her, was Mustang out of the picture. That scar seemed to tell a story that maybe its owner didn’t have the heart to tell. Thankfully no one had asked for her story and if they did she had feeling she would probably lie. Some things would need to be buried down and forgotten.

“Fuery? You little fucker and Ross too?” Then Jean fell silent as the last of the group came forward.

Winry smiled at the figure that had dropped the hood from her head. Rebecca and Jean stared at each for a moment before she shook her head and rushed forward nearly tackling him down to the ground.

Watching friends unite brought a smile to her face as they were led through the reconstructed gates that once protected the capital grounds. Turning to Riza she took in a breath and when it came out so did her heart.

“Edward? Al? Are they here too?”

There was that damn pity. It was a look too many people had been giving her lately. It certainly wasn’t the answer she wanted.

“They’re okay.”

Winry bit down on her lower lip, okay wasn’t good enough. It occurred to her that if all of Jeans friends were swarming him, than the Elric brothers would have already come the second they knew she was there.

“Where are they?” The words sounded so little.

“They left, weeks ago.”

“Where did they go?” She asked, not sure why they would leave all of their friends and safety for that matter.

Riza reached a hand out to squeeze her shoulder. “To find you.”

It should have made her feel better; it should have warmed her heart to know that for once they were chasing after her. But she was here dammit and after everything it felt frustrating and wrong that fate kept them chasing at tails. Instead she focused on the present.

“Both of them, right?”

This time the former officer grinned, “Edward got Alphonse’s body back.”

“Oh.” Winry heard the sound squeak out of her and tried to hide behind her hand as the urge to suddenly cry overwhelmed her.

“The real question is where the hell were you two?”

Winry wiped her face quickly to look up into Roy Mustangs stance. It was so strange to see the military man wearing civilian clothing. Not just civilian clothing but tattered rags that echoed the rest of the men and women milling about. Jean came from behind, patting her briefly on the back before taking on the task of explaining the last two years.

It wasn’t until he got to the Rush Valley part that she began to feel uncomfortable and when he paused she knew he was waiting for her to fill in the gaps. What gaps were there to fill? Telling a group of former military members felt like opening up old wounds. Instead Winry stomped over details, erasing the pain and leaving only the structure of a tale she found easier to tell.

Once they had caught up on a lot of details Maria Ross took over explaining what was going on at the capital. They were led to the mess hall and given a stew of sorts, nothing that could be compared to her grans, but man did it taste good after weeks of barely anything. Bellies full and voices near hoarse from talking Winry was about to follow Maria to a sleeping wing of the old capital building when Jean caught her hand.

He was still uneasy on his feet, but looked a lot better with a full meal in him.

“You’re not leaving are you?”

Winry held up the blanket in her arms that they had been given. “Going to try to get some sleep actually.”

“Not what I meant.” Jean frowned, “Tell me you aren’t going to run off tomorrow to follow those boys.”

Somewhere in there Winry thought there might be actual concern but all she heard was unwanted advice. “I told you, I’m going to find Ed and Al. Now at least I know they’re in Resembool.”

“And what happens when they find out you aren’t?” Jean challenged. “You think they’ll stay? You can’t chase ghosts Winry.”

Winry scowled, “Why do you care?”

His face scrunched up and then he frowned, the lines disappearing. “You’re needed here.”

Winry looked around in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re a mechanic and a doctor, didn’t you see how many people around here have makeshift crutches or are laid up? The people here could use your skills and expertise.”

That was a low blow, using other people to make her feel selfish. “Why do you care?” This time her voice was softer than before like she almost didn’t want him to answer her.

“I care about you Winry.” He sighed, “We’ve been through a lot, I owe you my life.”

“And?” Winry asked, feeling uncomfortable saying it out loud, but it just came out.

“And…” He looked a bit leery of her. “I think you know how I feel.”

When he walked away Winry put a hand over her mouth, feeling stupid. There were so many things she didn’t understand about this new world and a big part of that was herself. She didn’t know who she was anymore. Was she the strong woman that saved lives and rescued friends, or was she this naive little girl trapped in her stupid, childish dreams. Those dreams of marrying her best friend, living in Resembool, being a world famous automail engineer, most of those dreams had died the day the dead rose from the earth. The rest had been shadowed and forgotten after the events in Rush Valley.

Maria was eyeing her closely and Winry pretended to be asleep once her head hit the cot, that way she wouldn’t have to explain.

The next day Jean had come to find her, and seemed appeased that she wasn’t prepping for a long voyage. Winry had scowled at him and reminded him she wasn’t a child. But his original words had struck her, she was needed her and until she could figure out how to do it alone she would have to delay running off after Edward.

It was easy to stay busy, there were quite a few men who had automail that needed servicing and she had been able to scrounge up some material to start repairing the damage that had been done. She let herself feel bitter about the loss of her favorite wrench for only a moment before trying her best to get a new one.

For the most part they had done well in the capital. There was a mix of soldiers and civilians, but no one seemed ready to point out the obvious, the place was not meant to house that many people for a prolonged period of time. The locker rooms of the former barracks on the grounds required them to have scheduled bathing and bathroom usage times. But it seemed as if the group as a whole had banded together to survive. Everyone had a job of sorts whether it was washing clothes and doing the mending or helping to cultivate crops growing in what used to be the parade grounds.

“Different than you remember, huh?”

Winry looked up as Riza fell into her stride.

“Well, the last time I was in Central this place was run by Bradley.”

Riza nodded, “A lot has changed.”

There was something she didn’t want to ask, but the more she looked around the more obvious it was. They were her good friends; she should have been there. “What happened to Gracia and Elicia?”

The older woman touched her scar for a brief second, her jaw sticking out a bit before she just shook her head. “Another time.”

So many of they're friends were gone, WInry knew Riza's story would probably never be told. It hurt to think about it so she decided to bury it down, just like all the others. Neither said anything as Riza led the way through different rooms and passageways until they were in what looked like the old barracks hospital ward.

“You can stay or you can go, that choice remains with you Winry. But if you choose to stay, I think you’ll find we could really use you here.”

A man with dark hair, streaked in gray walked in then, his glasses refracting the light for a moment before Winry got a good look at him.

Riza gestured between them. “Dr. Stevenson, this is Winry Rockbell. She might be staying with us for a bit, figured you could use the help.”

The doctor nodded his head and reached across the table to shake her hand. “We could use the help. Do you have any expertise?”

Winry nodded, “My parents were doctors and I helped my grandmother perform automail surgeries.”

The older man shrugged, “Alright then; follow me. We’ve got a few patients that need their bandages changed, think you can manage?”

Winry glanced over at Riza before agreeing. “I can manage.”

It was late by the time she fell into the makeshift cot, feeling dead on her feet. It had been an exhausting 24 hours but she was grateful for the distraction and for once she felt as if she were doing something of value. Even though she knew the nightmares would come, she let the exhaustion pull her under.

The sound of shouting broke her out of her sleep, jolting her up. Looking around in the dark she heard the screams and stumbled to her feet. There were several other voices in the room as each person woke. As a candle was lit Winry looked around and tried to spy where the sounds were coming from.

Poking her head out the door she nearly ran into Riza who was marching down the hall with a large gun resting on her shoulder. Riza paused long enough to point her in a direction. “Report to the infirmary, Dr. Stevenson is going to need your help.”

“What hap-“

“Just go!” Riza barked.

Winry followed the orders, secretly wondering when she had enlisted, but It was the look on Riza’s face that made her rush despite her slight annoyance at being treated like a soldier.

Her first thought upon entering the room was that there was a lot of blood. After that she took in how many bodies were laid out, each one withering or clutching at their blood-stained clothing and limbs.

“We need to amputate.” Dr. Stevenson locked eyes with her as a few others began to work around them grabbing needed supplies. “If you’re going to be sick go, if not, start working.”

The man on the table was convulsing and Winry just stood frozen, her eyes wide. Suddenly his hand reached out and grabbed her arm.

_“Kill me.”_

Winry could only watch in horror as the man grabbed the knife from Stevenson’s hand and drove it through his own skull.

Stumbling back, Winry could feel the specs of blood on her face but there was no time to process anything because there were others being brought in and while the whole room felt like it was spinning, somehow the urgency of it kicked in instinct and she was wiping her forehead and following as Stevenson walked her through each case.

“You did well.”

Winry nodded, not truly accepting the doctor’s compliment because she wasn’t sure she had.

A herd was coming, that was all she made out while eavesdropping. Winry had seen a herd once while coming from Resembool to Dublith and a second time in Rush Valley. They were terrifying alone, but in large numbers they were unbeatable.

A part of her wondered if this was a sign that she needed to leave, but another part scrubbed at the blood on her clothes and felt an odd feeling of being needed and necessary. Winry was confused and scared, but something told her that staying was the right thing to do.

* * *

 

“What is it?”

Alphonse was grinning, “It’s one of those handcars Ed!”

“Still not following.”

The younger Elric brother jumped up, blocking the sun with his hand as he stared down the tracks. “You don’t remember playing on one of these as a kid? I mean Its not easy, but it will be a hell of a lot better than walking.”

Al motioned for his brother to hop onto the small platform with a large teetering handlebar. “They use these to check the railroad tracks for debris or loose rails. Come on, I’ll show you.”

Edward reluctantly jumped up, dropping their bags next to his feet. “Now what?”

They each took a hold of the bar, one on either side. Alphonse pushed his side down, instructing Edward to pull up on his side. It barely moved along the tracks at first but once they began to roll it began to take less effort. The moment carried them along the tracks quickly, the breeze following through the air.

Edward should have been relieved to find a quick way back to Central, but he wasn’t. He should be relieved they only found Grans body, but he wasn’t. His younger brother could be as optimistic as he wanted, but Edward wasn’t sure leaving was the right idea.

But it was too late now, as the hills of Resembool fell to the distant horizon they had said their goodbyes and there was no turning back now. Alphonse was right, they had friends in Central, they had a chance to make it there. Resembool was now just a graveyard of lost loved ones and burned down houses.

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
